Repeal section 141 of the Mental Health Act

One in four people in this country will suffer from a mental health problem at some point in their lives. Rethink, a national mental health charity, conducted a survey on MPs mental health last year. They found that 11% of MPs had suffered personally from a mental health problem. Yet not one is prepared to speak publicly.

In part this is undoubtedly to with the stigma that surrounds mental health. But there is also a clause in the Mental Health Act which states that any MP who is sectioned is removed from their seat, with no provision to return. There is no such provision for any physical health problem. This is clearly a discriminatory clause and it strengthens the stigma around mental health.

Make no mistake about it, that stigma is the same stigma that leads people to suffer alone and in silence, pretending that everything’s okay and avoiding seeking treatment, leading to furthur tragedies. We need to break down this stigma, which is why I’m supporting Rethink’s campaign to abolish section 141.

This clause sends out clear message that if you have suffered from mental health problems in the past your contribution is not welcome in public life. That simply doesn’t make sense. The people whose voices are most often lost in the system are those of the patients. Anyone who has seen the mental health system through their own eyes will have a valuable insight into possible reform, and a way to change the tragedy that has unfolded in our society.